H^d Qrs 119^th NYSV

Near Atlanta G^a August 10/64

 

                        4 AM Troops under arms at daylight no news from Genl Schofield. weather rainy & cool good for the poor fellows who have been wounded on the late skirmishes

                                    6½ AM just finished a detail to assist mounting the heavy guns

                                    3 PM have just returned from a visit to the big guns. there is but 3 of them & they are so called 32^o & are the same that were formerly mounted in Fort Wood Chattanooga they are to open at 6 PM

                                    9 PM The big guns opened about 7 PM & have fired every five min /

 

since—a battery of large guns about 2 miles to our right opened about the same hour—

 

                        August 11.1864 5 AM

Our heavy guns fired at intervals all night & at present hour have ceased. they must anoy the Rebels wonderfully as they have good range of the City & works. Prisoners report that the rebels have buried their heavy guns & are on short rations—it may be true—I hope it is

                                    2 P.M. Detailed as Division Officer of the day visited picket line—

                                    9 PM Heavy firing on our right—presumed to be the 3^d Division of our Corps advancing their line—

 

                        August 12.1864 4 AM

visited picket line—& found two rebel deserters from 54 V^a had / come in—they report that our guns knock things about very much in the town & that our heavy shelling the other day did a great deal of damage & killed & wounded quite a number. their rations consist of corn cake & a little Bacon daily—the cake is baked at the train & brought up to the front & issued to the troops. it has to be fresh baked every day as it sours very quickly in warm weather—the Compy to which these two men belong has all deserted but 8 & five of that number will leave as soon as they can get away

                                    8 PM there has been a great deal of heavy skirmishing in the 4^th Corps to day—not of much account /

 

                        Augt 13 1864 4 AM

Troops under arms at daybreak—quiet reigns along the lines—this is the 23^d day of the Siege

                                    5 PM scarcely a shot to day along the lines—tis rumored that two of the 20 po. Parrotts bursted to day nobody hurt Tis positively asserted that our Artillery commands the Macon RR as I write the sound of Artillery is heard on the extreme right—Sherman seems to be taking a breathing spell. when next we hear from him twill be something brilliant—

                                                10 PM our Artillery has fired rapidly all evening & still continues 

 

                                    August 14^th 4 AM

Our Artillery opened at 7 PM last Evening & has kept up a continuous fire since—one large conflagration was occasioned by it.

                                    5 PM There is a heavy fight going on in the vicinity of the extreme right. Mobile is said to be in our possession—rebel deserters give gloomy accounts of the state of affairs in the city & Confederacy generally & seem demoralized beyond measure.

                                    8 PM Our guns have opened the ball for the night

                        August 15.1864 4 AM

All under arms as there is heavy picket firing on / right of our Division.

                                                8 AM Tis rumored that our troops took two forts yesterday PM on the right—one "Tarheel" 58 North Carolina came in last night. reports that all the N.C. troops are up for desertion & that if they were not watched so close they would come in by Regiment. they have two lines of picket one to watch us, & the other to guard their own men Tar heel reports—short rations 3 small corn cakes about the size of Tea biscuit & a very little bacon for a day—this agrees in a measure with other reports of prisoners. he also states that there is great dissatisfaction generally—the privates can get no news & the officers will not converse with them 

 

                        11 AM Tis rumored that we are to make a grand flank movement soon & thus compel the rebel Army to leave Atlanta, one part of the Army is to cut loose for 20 days and move South & on the rebel line of communication & supplies. Genl A. J. Smith is said to be en route with 16 000 troops which will be added to the Army of the Tennessee.

                                    9 PM Our big guns fire every 15 minutes. All quiet along the lines.

                        August 16 1864 4 AM

Quiet morning—with an occasional shot from the 4½ inch guns.

                                    5 PM Our quiet day has terminated suddenly. the pickets report a movement of rebel troops to our right /

 

we were all under arms & in the trenches—but after waiting awhile & no enemy appearing—we felt more at our ease.

                                    7 PM. No enemy yet—tis again rumored that Genl Schofield has got possession of the RR & has entrenched across it—also that Kilpatrick is at Sandtown with his Division of Cavalry we feel highly encouraged with the prospect—and we want Atlanta to fall so as to get ahead of the Army of the Potomac—we think we will do it yet—

                                    9 PM quiet along the lines except the occasional from the 4½ inch 

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